Velocipede



July 31, 1928.

. J. F. OBRIEN VELOCIPEDE Filed March 25, 1926 BY 'AToRNEY July 31,

J. F. oBRlEN 'VELOCIPEDE Filed March 25, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR ATToRN Y July 31,19%r

J. F. OBRIEN K VELOCIPEDE Filed March 25, 1926 5 Sheetsl-Sheet 3 INVENTOR BY f f/ f l f 1]/ AT Opm-v Patented July 31, 1928.

UNITED STA TES 'PAT JAMES F. OBRIEN, A0Fv SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

VELOCIPEDE.

Application Lled March 25, 1926. Serial No. 97,199.

The present invention relatesto the type of velocipedes generally known as scooters and the primary aim and object thereof is the provision of a manually operable veloc1- pede readily and quickly convertible from the wheeled type to the sled type, or the reverse, whereby such velocipede `may be used in tlieopen air in all seasons for prof pulsion upon any kind of surface under the complete and positive braking andV directional control of the operator at alltimes and at variable speeds as desired.

Contemplated bythe present invention is the provision of a scooter embodying improvenients directed particularly to the manually propellingmechanism thereof operable bythe feet of the rider acting `upon oscillative treadles interconnected therewith, sai/d mechanism containing novel noiseless ratchet mechanisms for converting lthe oscillative movement ofsaidtreadles into continuous rotative movement of the driving wheels of said scooter; novel steering mechanisin for said scooter; brake mechanism therefor; screw propeller mechanism interconnected with and driven by the vehicle propelling mechanism; and in novel runners and driving wheels interchangeable with the usual wheels of the scooter for converting the saine into a` sled and propelling ,the latter upon snow, ice, or other slippery surfaces, all of which are important objects of vmy invention and are to becorrelated in the broad aim of enhancing the efficiency of the device for general use.

The above and additional objects whichA will hereinafter be more specifically treated,V

are attained by such means as 'are shown in the accompanying F drawings, described yin thefollowing specification and then more clearly pointed outl in the claims, which are appended hereto and form part of this application.

lVith reference to the drawings wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, with several modified forms there-y of, and throughout the several views of which like characters of reference designate similar parts, j p 'n Figure lis a top plan vieri7 of the velocipede or scooter comprehended by my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, certain parts being broken away for clarity of il1us= tration; l

{oscillative movement disposed rod or shaft Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken through 3 3 of Fig. 2;

F t is a front end elevation of the same;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken through 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig.k 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken through 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a vertical central section of a noiseless ratchet mechanism mounted upon the rear axle shaftof the device;

v Fig. Sis a fragmentary vertical section taken through 8 8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of scooter;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section of the same taken through 10 10 of Fig. 9; l'

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary top'plan view of the `rear. or driving end thereof; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation of another modified form of scooter.

T he numeral 15 designates a platform having' spaced parallel side frame members 16 rigidly secured thereto and extending rearwardlyv therefrom substantially in prolongation to and alignment with the side edges thereof, said frame members terminat-V ing at their rear ends in downwardly bent or arcuate portions 17.

.Oscillative treadles 18 Aare pivotally or hingedly connected at their forward ends to the side frame members 16.by a transi versely disposed hinge pin or rod 19. lthe ends of which are mounted in any suitable manner within the said frame members in close proximity to the rear end of the platform 15. The oscillative treadles18 upon their undersides and adjacent their rear ends are pivotally connected bydepending links 20 to sector shaped gears 21 mounted for upon a transversely 22 rigidly secured at its ends within the side frame members 16 in proximity to the downwardly bent portions 17 thereof.

The sector shaped gears v21 normallymesh `with pinions 23 mounted for oscillative `during .reverse and to inwardly projectingl oscillativecylindrical ratchet casings 26, which normally enclose interconnected ratchet wheels 27keyed or splined to the rear. axle shaft 24:, substantially midway the length thereof. `Interposed between the inner walls ot cachot' the casings 26 and the` teeth of the. correlated ratchet wheels thereof is a series ot rollers or balls28, whichlatter ,function as dogs therebetween to interlock the casing and wheel, when the pinion associated with such casing .moved in tiie directionindicated by the arrow in llig. 8, whereby the driving wheels `25 `are rotated linthe ldirection indicated by the arrowsin Figs. r2.and (5, .to propel. the device` of the invention in a forward direction, and which function ,to unlock said' casing- :trom ythe ratchet wheel independent rotative movement ot the casina` thereon, as` and when the pinion `associated o therewith is moved hy its sector shaped gear in a direc tion opposite to .that indicated. Y Set collars 29` .tixedly secured upon the rear axle shaft 24 serve to retain the oscillative ratchetcasinas 26 in normally abutting rotation withthe ratchet wheels 27 and against axial Amovementupon said shaft.

Torsional retractionsprings 30 mounted upon the rod 22 andV interposed between the side ,trame members 16 ,andthe .oscillative' sector shaped gears 21 are rigidly secured at their outer ends to saidmembers and are similarly secured at their inner ends to said 4gears, whereby and whereat said Vsprings serve and. function 1 to return the sector shaped gears and the treadles associated therewith to inoperative positions following each power stroke thereof. Set collars 31 Vtixedly secured to the rod 22 functionto prevent axial movement of the sector shaped gears 2l th ereonV y y Mounted .upon the` rear axle shaft 24"1n an obvious, manner, is a brake mechanism 32, oiwell known torm,connected by a ton wardly eztendinar articulated brake rod 33 toa hrake pedal mechanism 34e` pivotally mounted, within convenient reach of the `opetrator` or'i'ider, upon the underside ot the platform slotted thereat to accommodate the same.

` i An articulated vertically disposedsteering column or rod 35 is mounted tor treeoscill lative 4movement adjacent its lower bifurcated end within a `cylindrical 4guide .sleeve 3G` rigidly secured within the medially apertured platform 15 in proximity to thetor- )ward en@ thereof Said 00111111111, having@ d@- tachable 'front or steering` wheel 37 rotatively mounted within its biturcated lower end,

a "hollow standard 39 having a screw propeller Li() journalled it'orA rotation within the upper end thereof, said propeller beine,f nor- Vmally enclosedjbya.- guard cage 41, ot wire mesh or other suitable material, rigidly secured to the front tace ot said hollow standard, to thereby eftectually prevent injury to the operatoror rid'e'rot the device. A suitguidedbeltor cable 42 connects the propeller {it} with a sheave 4t3-fixeclly secured with@ wel* axleishaft l i 24, whereby such propeller is rotated duringtlie forward movements ,otthe yehicle,as will'be maniifestfand apparent.1 Detachably securedto the front `face 4and adjacent the lower end ol" the h`ol low standard 39. is a ,rectangular display platel iftliavingany desired symbols orcharacters superimposed thereon, as tor eiample, t,he',f'letters`U. ,Si and ,the numerals 1926, which latter serves to materially embellish and enhance the` Iagpp'earance ot the device.

"The-numeral 45 designates stepsrigidly se- .lcured to the sides ot' the `platform 15 to .facilitate andexpeditetheinounting or dismonnting ot the operator upon or from the device. y ,o

`In the` operation `,of the device the rider :assumes fstandingposition upon the oscillati've ftreadles 18 n and alternately exerts downward pressurenthereon causing alternate oscillative movement of the sector shaped gears 21 and` correlated pinions 23' thereof, which Vmovement is converted and `iiiliparted by, thel 'cylindrical `casinos 26 and ratchet wheels 27 to the rear 'axle shaft 2li as continuous rotary motion. 4 The gear ratio between theV "sector shaped gears 21 and pinions 2 3 such that the device is driven or propelledforwardly at considerable speed,\rvh,ich latter may be varied as desired dep,endi'nwnfY upon fthe f downwardly directed energyfor,pressurefeierted by the operator upon the treadl'es 18.V y o o ,In Ffgs. 9 to l1, inclusive, the device ot ra sled, for `usewupon ice or snow. which is ac- ,tosup-port pr carry therear end ot the deyieean'd removingthe rear driving wheels 25 and substituting' therefor toothed driving wheels'if?, whereby `great-er ltraction is lobtained upon slippery4 surfaces. The "liront wlieelp'is also removed from the steering columnV "A35 and aglongitudinally disposed runner 48 substituted therefor to support and steer'the forward end ofthe device.

,Theronverted device in 4the present instance is s'howna'sequipped with an'alternative (form of anually 4operable propelling mechanism,Y

I `embodying ,ai crank shaft 48 ,ilournalled [for `rotation at its ends within `c` ownwardly and forward extending brackets 49 integrally formed upon or other-wise rigidly secured to the lower edges and rear the linvention isilljustrat'ed, as lconverted to mib ends of the side frame members 16, said Y' crank shaft having cranks 50 formed thereon, which are pivotally interconnected to the lower faces of the oscillative treadles 18 by links 51. Rigidly secured tothe crank shaft 48, substantially midway the length thereof, is agear 52, which normally meshes with a pinion 53 similarly secured t-o the rear axle Shaft 24, whereby the rotary motion of the crank shaft 48 is geared up' and is imparted to the rear axle shaft 24 to rotate the latter at considerable speed. The alternative form of propelling mechanism is actuated by the oscillative treadles 18 substantially in a manner similar to that hereinbefore setforth for the preferred form of manually operable propelling mechanism.

In Fig. 12 the manually propelled sled is converted to a self-propelled device by eX- tending the platform 15 rearwardly and substituting an internal combustion engine 54, of any suitable type, for the oscillative treadle actuated mechanism hereinbefore shown and described, said engine being' rigidly secured to the underside of the platform 15 and connected to the rear axle shaft 24 in any well known and desired manner.

Manifestly, therefore, the device of the invention is readily and quickly convertible from the wheeled type to the sled type, or the reverse; is similarly convertible from the manually propelled type to the selfpropelled type, or the reverse; and may be used in the open air in all seasons for propulsion upon any kind of surface and is under the complete and positive control of the operator or rider at all times.

lVhile I have herein shown and described the invention with sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to understand the mode of construction and the principles involved, it is to be understood that there is no intentional limitation herein to the specific form and precise details of construction of the invention shown and described, except as expressly defined by the appended claims, and that various modifications of such construction may be resorted to without departing from the invention or the benefits derivable therefrom. I also desire it to be understood that certain features of the invention herein shown and described may be employed vin and with other-combinations than those herein shown.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l 1. In a velocipede, in combination, a mobile body having front steering and rear driving wheels, a manually operable oscillative treadle attached to said body, mechanism interconnecting said rear driving wheels and treadle for actuation by the latter to propel the body in a forward direction, and a screw propeller rotatively mounted upon one end of said body for actuation by the mechanism thereof.

2. In a velocipede, in combination, a mobile body, av manually operable oscillative treadle attached thereto, propelling mechanism for said body interconnected with said treadle embodying means for converting oscillative motion of the treadle to continuous rotary motion of the propelling mechanism, a screw propeller rotatively mounted upon the forward end of said body for actuation by said propelling mechanism, and protective means for enclosing said screw propeller.

3. In a velocipede, in combination, a steerable mobile body, manually operable and alternately actuated oscillative treadles attached thereto, propelling mechanism for said body interconnected with said treadles for alternate actuation thereby to propel the body in a forward direction, a standard rigidly secured to said body, a screw propeller operatively mounted upon said standard and connected to said propelling mechanism for actuation thereby, and a protective cage rigidly secured to said standard in concentric relation to said screw propeller for enclosing the same.. p

4.- In a velocipede, in combination, a mobile body, vpropelling mechanism for said body, and a screw propeller rotatively mounted upon said body for actuation by said ,propelling mechanism.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES F. OBRIEN. 

